Witness
by BitterBreak
Summary: Sakura has one day to live. She decides to spend that day searching for Sasuke. One-shot.


_Witness_

* * *

A beam of sunlight cascaded along the desk to the girl by the door to the Hokage's office. A blonde woman fumbled to wake from her nap and greeted the visiter with an appreciating nod.

"Tsunade-sama."

The girl's voice shattered the peaceful silence as she held up the test sample. Tsunade let out a distinct groan as she massaged her eyes.

"So, did it show any reaction?" Tsunade recollected her memory of the girl's given job. Their latest experiment had shown potential to steady uncontrollable powers, like Naruto's kyuubi. However, it carried just as much danger, and Tsunade noted the unusual dullness in the girl's eyes.

"Tsunade-sama. The test sample was too small to show any reaction. I had to take a risk. Surely, you know already -" Tsunade frowned as her temper passed through her mouth. "So cut to the chase. What is it, Sakura?"

Sakura forced herself to meet Tsunade's gaze. "I used it on myself."

Instant shock and fear swept inside the blonde - she easily concluded its failure from Sakura's lifeless expression.

"Sakura... Sakura! SAKURA!" Flashed with fear, Tsunade repeated the name in panic.

"Sakura! YOU WILL NOT DIE." She was screaming now. "THERE MUST BE A CURE! YOU CANNOT DIE ON ME! I... I... !" Her loss for words gave chance for the girl to voice out quietly.

"Tsunade-sama. I'd like to ask something from you."

The paled blonde found herself dumbfounded from the pink's cool collected reaction. "Of course, of course... A final wish, eh? But you're not going to die, Sakura!"

Brief hesitance followed, and Tsunade continued in defeat. "What could you possibly wish, Sakura, when you have but a day left?"

"My wish has always been the same."

Dawning apprehension swept her whole and Tsunade expected tears to fall as reality stung her to the core. She refrained from crying when she saw not one tear decorating Sakura. Instead, determination flared in the pink's eyes. '_This girl has gotten so much stronger than me._' Tsunade thought with a proud bitterness.

Tsunade studied the test sample hanging loosely from Sakura's hand. They were too small for results, while human subjects would produce the otherwise. But who would volunteer for the overwhelming possibility of death in a day? Tsunade wasn't Orochimaru, and she had wanted to avoid human experimentation for as long as she could.

Breaking free from her thoughts, Tsunade waved dismissively. "All right, Sakura. Gather Team Kakashi and come back in two hours."

Two hours was good time for Sakura to say goodbye to her Konoha life before she'd leave for death. Death, because Tsunade could not help but accuse Sasuke to be the destruction of her beloved student. Yet, that was also wrong, for Sakura's current strength had only flowered from her unwavering determination for Sasuke.

* * *

When the sunlight consumed her whole as she stepped outside, an overwhelming breath of sigh escaped her. '_Tsunade-sama is being so strong for me. I need to continue this strength in me for her, and for Naruto, and… and for everyone_.' Sakura thought, as she finally decided she needed to make a few more visits, after all.

Her feet carried her to a flower shop. She made out a few figures inside playing around so carefree. A clear wind chime sounded as Sakura greeted the blonde and her teammates.

"Oh, if it isn't Sakura. What brings you here?" The blonde tried to greet her cooly with a smirk as her hands tried to stop the mess Chouji was making from eating crumbly bread. Shikamaru was at a corner, eyeing a delicate, blooming flower, as he sighed out the words tiredly, "Come on, guys. We don't have all day so help me pick a flower for Asuma-sensei, would ya?"

Sakura stayed frozen in her spot, as much life consumed her. How long has it been since Asuma's death? The team seemed to be the same as ever and Sakura received a guilty pang as she thought, '_I wonder if… everyone would continue to be happy without me_.' Sakura shook off her secret, selfish desire that contradicted her wish for everyone to move on happily once she was gone.

"Ahh~ I'm such a busy medic, yet I bothered to come here after all." All three glanced at the pink-haired girl with a curiosity. Laughter left her mouth before Sakura continued. "Ino. You were always the beautiful, bloomed flower. And I see you still are, and will forever be."

Chouji continued snacking and Shikamaru looked creeped out from the words of women he couldn't understand. Ino was slightly creeped out like Shikamaru, and eyed her incredulously. "What… is it, Sakura?"

The pinkette laughed out once more and grinned as she said, "It turns out I've bloomed to a flower as well." With that, Sakura waved and walked to her next destination.

* * *

There was a knock, and then the door opened slowly as a sleepy white-haired man walked in.

"You called me?"

Tsunade wasn't sure how to break out the sudden news, but she looked into his eyes with a piercing gaze as she brought her hands together, the elbows resting on the desk.

"In about an hour, you will be bringing your team to Sasuke, Kakashi."

"Why the sudden hurry?"

The pale blonde ignored his question and continued, lost in concentration of thoughts. "I've already arranged all the necessary preparations for you guys. I've even managed to catch his location, although it's a little vague. The rest is up to you, I suppose."

Kakashi stood by in irritation as he received this sudden mission with lack of explanation. He didn't let it show, however, and instead gazed cooly back at the green eyes questioningly.

Tsunade let out a sigh before she answered Kakashi's unspoken question. "And I suppose I can't keep this from you any longer. Let me ask you this first, though: Who would you like to be with in your final moments, Kakashi?"

The white-haired man eyed her with suspicion as he unconsciously feared what might follow. Letting out a weary sigh, Kakashi answered, "Loved ones, if I could choose."

"Well," Tsunade finally started to let out the truth, "I'd like that choice to rest for Sakura."

Kakashi's usual blank expression was caught off guard in surprise as he muttered out his shock. "What?"

The pale blonde continued, lost in thoughts.

"Her wish had always been, and still continues to be, Sasuke. I'd like to grant her that wish, but I would also like you and Naruto to go along with her not only for the sake of her safety, but for you guys to be the witness of her death, as well. As much as Sakura chases after and yearns for Sasuke, she loves Team 7 and this Konoha village. She's made the decision to leave _all _that for Sasuke, so I want you to be there for her in case she doesn't meet him. I don't want her to die a lonely death, with no one by her side. That'd be the worst, _neh_?"

Tsunade was blabbering, and Kakashi was frozen throughout it all. He tried to logically make out the cause of Sakura's expected death, when Tsunade shook free from her drifting thoughts and started. "Well, I guess I should explain with a certain experiment I have started working on with Sakura in secret a few days ago…"

* * *

After a few more visits – including one to Lee's – Sakura stopped in front of a door she had stood by countless times before. Her hands hesitated before it formed a fist and banged on the door loudly. "NARUTO?" After a few bangs and clutters of unknown things falling, a blonde boy opened the door – with a loud thud.

"Sakura-chan!" His blue eyes lightened up and gave his brightest smile. "Good timing, Sakura-chan! _Man_, I was getting hungry, too. _Heh heh heh_." Such careless happiness bubbled around them as Sakura let out a chuckle. "Geez, Naruto! We have a mission! But… I guess it can't hurt to stop by Ichiraku's."

"OH, MAN, You're the best, Sakura-chan!" Naruto jumped out for a hug, to which was greeted by a clenched fist as usual. When Naruto turned to her with a playful complaint, only a blank stare met him. _'Naruto sure has grown a lot, huh? And he still has so much in him to grow even more…_' Sakura shook her head as she tried to weak thoughts away. Because she would not be there anymore to witness him.

"Sakura-chan?" The Uzumaki boy caught the hesitance in her mind.

"It's nothing, Naruto." Sakura then dragged him and they arrived at Ichiraku's.

As they ordered their ramens, Sakura added cheerfully, "Extra egg and green onions for this idiot, please!" The owner laughed heartily as they both chuckled at Naruto groan at the thought of green onions.

During the meal, silence clutched onto Sakura's mouth and refused to let it open, while the blonde boy recounted his day and talked nonsense. In the pinkette's mind, however, she felt constant torture.

"Naruto."

The weight of her word abruptly halted the blonde's ranting. Sakura felt his undivided attention to her as he patiently waited for her to continue.

"It's better to forget about the promise, okay? I'm the one that needs to be forgiven, not you."

Silence followed as Naruto tried to recollect memories of their… promise? Before his mind could wander to the promise he had made of bringing back Sasuke, however, Sakura called out for another ramen with sudden enthusiasm.

It was reaching nightfall already as the sky turned into a pool of black that reminded Sakura of the raven-haired boy. Team Kakashi – including Sai, surprisingly – had already reached more than halfway to their destination. In the midst of the quietness, there was a loud series of gasps, and Kakashi paused for the boys to turn back as well. Sakura's condition was getting worse, even if she was putting on a strong front. The pale-skinned boy bluntly asked the question aloud that Naruto – secretly – too, had been wondering about.

"Why are we going on a mission like this when Sakura's so weak?"

Of course, Sai had meant Sakura's current weak condition, for he knew her strength well, but his words came out wrong. However, Naruto joined in as well. "I'd hate to admit it, but I agree. We should have brought more forces – even Shikamaru alone would make our situation so much better."

Sakura remained gasping for breath as her chest heaved up and down. Kakashi eyed her, then broke the silence. "Let's camp here for now. We can continue tomorrow. Surely, sleep won't hurt." By taking out and looking for the necessary preparations, they all quietly agreed.

Once their stomachs were somewhat filled, Kakashi stood up to climb a tree, as he assured them. "Sleep. I'll keep watch."

* * *

The bright sunlight crept into horizon as Karin woke up with alert. She hurried over to Sasuke to wake him up for this sudden, startling news. He grunted as he got up to ask her accordingly.

"I sense a presence coming near from the South-West. I think… I think it's that girl. Haruno Sakura."

Sasuke's eyes didn't show the flash of surprise that passed in him as he replied dryly. "Then we move on."

"No."

The raven-haired turned to the sound of this opposition.

"That girl would sense our presence, and who knows if she has a whole pack of Konoha shinobis behind her? She'll endanger us – I'll kill her to prevent that." Suigetsu had said, and Sasuke was too groggy to come back with a protest.

He gave it a thought before he approved Suigetsu's plan with a slight change of his own. "Fine, but you guys go ahead. I'll be the one killing her."

The white-haired started to protest, but Karin silenced them all. "Shh! I sense her presence coming closer now! There's no other presence around her for a good twenty kilometres, but I think you'll have to hurry, Sasuke!"

"Hn."

* * *

The cheerful chirping of birds greeted him as he woke up in a daze. As groggy as he was, his mouth didn't fail to open up to question. "Nnn… Sakura-chan? Are you feeling better now?"

Silence greeted him next, and the blonde assumed the pink to continue to be in her slumber. A crunch of the grass sounded in his ears before he could sneak in a little more sleep. Naruto's blue eyes, masked by a shade of the figure hovering above him, were met with a black pool. He was fully awake now, for if he was still in that dreamy state of sleep, he would have called out the raven-haired boy's name. Instead, he called out "Sai?"

Sai paused for air, then answered. "Sakura's gone."

Startled, Naruto lunged to get up when a hand stopped his movements. It was Kakashi, and he didn't seem bothered at all, which meant… "Kakashi-sensei! You let Sakura-chan go! WHY?"

'_He's gotten smarter than I thought_.' Kakashi remained his place as he contemplated on how to voice out this complication.

"Well… If we all went, Sasuke would just run away. If it was Sakura alone, however, there's a higher possibility they'd meet."

Kakashi didn't miss the obvious panic in Naruto's eyes as he protested. "But it doesn't change the fact that you've practically let her go to her grave! As… much as I'd hate to admit it, Sasuke wouldn't hesitate to kill Sakura… if he does, then surely, his… _team_ wouldn't!" The blonde flinched at his own words.

"We will go after her this instant, but you have to acknowledge that this was a decision Sakura made." Kakashi didn't need to press on as Naruto started on their path right away.

As the three swiftly moved about in the forest, the blonde deducted something out of place about this situation. "There's something wrong with Sakura-chan." It was a statement, but it was Sai who replied.

"She's dying." The pale boy looked over at Kakashi. "I heard your conversation, yesterday. And anyway, Naruto needs to know."

Kakashi refused to meet Sai's eyes as he acknowledged him to continue. "Then feel free to enlighten Naruto on the way."

* * *

"I promised her." Naruto said it more to himself as a realization struck. "I promised I'd bring Sasuke back. That was the promise she was talking about." His thoughts recounted Sakura's words at Ichiraku's.

"Naruto. You have to understand something." Kakashi started in hopes of preventing fury overtaking the blonde. The fury and guilt he'd feel to himself.

"Sakura experimented on herself. In order to free you. She didn't want you to be so tortured. She loves Sasuke, but she cares for you far more than she lets on –"

All three froze. There was this unexplainable looming atmosphere above the three and the two figures in the clearing. Sakura was on the ground. Sasuke was quite a distance away, but he slowly turned to face them. The raven-haired stepped towards them, although they weren't sure if he was approaching Sakura or them, for her body lay in between. A cold chill ran up and down before Naruto took off for Sasuke with fury.

"SASUKE -!"

"She's alive."

The blonde looked up startlingly mid-way.

"I didn't even touch her."

His shockingly calm, carefree gaze chilled Naruto once again. "Don't. Sasuke… This is probably her final moments. Can't you… at least grant her wish?"

"What wish?" There was not a single recognition of the boy Konoha used to know.

"You know, Sasuke." Naruto grumbled, trying to steady his level of anger. "All this time, she only had one person in mind." Naruto realized the irony of his words that contradicted what Kakashi had been trying to say a few moments earlier.

"Ok." All eyes turned to Sasuke in shock. They hadn't thought it'd be this easy… But they found themselves wrong when he finished his sentence. "I'll kill Sakura now."

Naruto stood by, his body frozen from his loss for words. _'He's insane_…'

"Her pain will end faster." The raven-haired boy was now only a few steps away from the pink blur on the ground. Just then, that pink blur stirred, and the head looked up at the raven.

"Sa… Sasuke… Kun."

There was a dangerous flash of red in the usually blank pool of black. _'Damn, Sharingan!'_ The blonde started to make a run for it, but the white caught him first.

"This was her wish, remember?"

"Hnng!" Trembling fists dropped onto the sides as Naruto bit his lips. Kakashi, on the other hand, was silently curing Tsunade for this damn mission. It would make the top list of the hardest mission he's faced throughout his life.

* * *

Haruno Sakura helped out whenever she could – pouring out her care to Konoha, and especially Naruto – and when a time of opportune came, she opened the door to chase after the man she loved.

. . .

A week earlier, Sakura had bought a synthetically colored flower of pink and blue. The next day, it withered. Her conscience had refused to take it as a bad omen.

. . .

The moon was drooped low, and Kakashi gently woke her up to let her go. With a nod, Sakura breathed heavily as she continued to search him with the remaining few hours of her life.

. . .

As skilled as she was, Sakura vaguely predicted her final minutes. She had come so close. She was only a few kilometres away from the man she had been searching for all her life. With this will and knowledge powering her, Haruno Sakura continued to search him. No. That was wrong – she continued to seek out for him. And then, stillness slipped into her in a rather sneaky way.

Without reason but logic, her body gave out. Her eyes were dry – she just numbly lied down as the dreams she dreamt everyday came flowing to her. Haruno Sakura was dying, yet this tragedy insisted to be blocked from reaching her conscience. Were they dreams, or were they nightmares?

"Sa… Sasuke… Kun."

* * *

Sakura was surrounded by such blackness, that it was hard to tell apart her hair color from it. There was a pale glow in the distance, and she ran after it.

"Sakura." Against his white skin, his eyes were darker than black.

"I am – and never will be – the boy you thought you knew."

As Sakura slowly lifted her arm to reach out, the figure flinched.

"You're so annoying."

The figure was misshaped, Sakura realized. Suddenly, his dark hair was replaced by a white, and ugly demonic wings protruded from the back_. Is he really Sasuke-kun?_ There was a hissing air about them, and Sakura realized the scaly skin of snakes suffocating the place.

"I'm not _Sasuke-kun_. I'm a monster. Don't let my darkness contaminate you, Sakura…"

Sakura's face remained blank, and the hand halted mid-way found its gears turning and once again made motion to touch… the figure? Monster? Her beloved _Sasuke-kun_?

The dark eyes, startled, backed away in panic. Fury was quick to replace it.

"How many times do I have to tell you? YOU"RE SO ANNOYING!"

Sakura looked down at her outstretched hand. This was the closest she had come. But monster or not, she still could not touch Sasuke-kun. When the shadowed figure calmed himself, he continued.

"I already told you I'm an avenger. I already thanked you for your feelings! Why do you still follow me? Why do you cry so much?"

Her dear Sasuke-kun, the usually cool and collected Sasuke-kun, was writhing in pain before her. So, why couldn't she touch him? Why couldn't she embrace him and shield him from this suffocating darkness?

"Why are you so eager to follow my path? It would… only _hurt _you."

Sakura opened her mouth for the first time. To her absolute despair, no sound came out. But panic didn't reach her like it did to the shadow. With an utmost concentration, she thought, hoping – and _knowing _– that her feelings would reach Sasuke. '_I lov-'._ Her thought was suddenly slapped by a pang of pain and dizziness. The figure sensed her distress and the space around them changed in a flash.

* * *

The blinding white atmosphere of a classroom appeared before them. The class was buzzing with excitement and the chattering died down when someone spoke aloud at the front. It was Iruka-sensei.

"Ok. Next is Team 7. Haruno Sakura. Uzumaki Naruto." _A pause_. "And Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura's head snapped down at her form. Her hands were smaller. It was the first day of the formation of Team 7. Had she gone back to the past? She slowly, painfully turned her head to her left. A relieved sigh escaped her when she saw Sasuke-kun. But… It wasn't the Sasuke-kun of Team 7.

'_I knew it._' Thought Sakura. It felt too good to be true. Perhaps, however, life was giving her a final present before she left this world. Or, could this possibly be the series of film-like flashbacks she's heard people experience as they died?

Curiously, her eyes observed Sasuke-kun. He was even smaller than she was. In fact, there was no icy silence around him, and instead held an innocent smile on his face. His glistening eyes looked up at her. _Maybe… This was Sasuke-kun before the Uchiha Massacre?_

Slowly, without hesitation, the child raised his arms and softly caressed her cheeks. At the instance she felt the warm touch, she could no longer see the classmates or Iruka-sensei around her, let alone the very seat she was sitting on.

"Sakura."

The child brought her head closer to his, so he could whisper in her ears. The white was consuming both of them, even as Sakura tried her hardest to hold onto her conscience.

Three whispered words.

"I love you."

The blank whiteness consumed her whole.

* * *

His paled hand reached instinctively for his brush and paper.

"Sai." The sound of his name stopped him. "He hadn't killed her." Sai turned to observe Naruto in shock. Surely, he would still be angry, no?

But whatever that masked the blonde's anger could not mask his tears. He held his fist into a clench and let out an apprehensive realization slip from his lips.

"Sasuke, he… He had merely said goodbye to her."

* * *

_End._

a/n: Ah. No time to edit. Well, Sasuke used genjutsu with his Sharingan, which I hope was sort of obvious. I'm hungry. I shall go eat my dinner now.

28.04.12 I edited the first little bit, by trying to make it less wordy.


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